Page 205 of Eight of Swords, Part One

Kade frowns at him, impatient. ‘I’m pretty sure it was you.’

‘It wasn’t me.’

‘Look, maybe it’s hard for you to accept given the… outcome, but it makes sense that you did it to try and get the kids out.’

‘I didn’t,’ Lachlan tells him flatly. ‘I think your boss knows, though.’

Riley rolls his eyes. ‘I was trying to tell him earlier when you bust in with your little demonstration, you prick. And it’s hard to explain, like I told you before. There’s things I can’t say.’

‘You owe it to me,’ Kade says quietly. ‘Please.’

Lachlan’s thumb is pressed against Kade’s wrist, making gentle circles.

‘Here’s what I can tell you,’ Riley says, after taking a few beats to think. ‘I can tell you that the hire came from within the Penhalyx Estate. I can tell you it was for kidnap and hold. I can tell you—’

‘Am I him?’ Kade can see when he’s being handled, hates it. ‘Yes or no, Riley.’

Riley’s mouth opens and closes.

No words come out.

But he nods.

Kade’s heart plummets. ‘Say it then.’

‘I can’t.’

‘Tell me to my face.’

‘I can’t say it and neither can you.’ Riley’s hands flex by his side in a rare display of frustration while Kade’s own anger within spirals so fast that it’s briefly debilitating. He can hardly think straight. ‘Go on, try it.’

‘I’m…’ Kade’s throat sticks. He knows the name. Jules. Julian, Julian Sael Penhalyx. ‘I’m… J… fuck, what the fuck is happening?’

Lachlan watches with a dented brow. ‘You can’t say it?’

‘I explained this to you,’ Riley complains while Kade tries again under his breath, even attempts mouthing the words, but they won’t come together, some strange muscular spasm prevents it. ‘It’s the fucking curse.’

‘What curse?’ Kade asks sharply.

Riley tips his head back like he’s asking the sky for strength.

‘There are things I can’t tell you, but I’ve done my best to—’

‘To what? To lie to me all this time?’

‘I’ve never once lied to you.’

‘Riley, you’ve lied to me my whole life! Seven years and you knew I was him the whole time?’

Riley’s jaw works, he nods. ‘I’m sorry.’

Kade makes a noise he’s not proud of, shoves away from the seat and walks to the walls, forehead against the stone.

It brings him comfort.

The Tower is home.

It’s always been home.